Denim is thought to have derived its name from a French fabric called “serge de Nimes” that was worn in the 16th century and has a twill weave similar to the denim fabric of today. The durability and flexible application of denim led to it becoming popular in England in the 17th century. Another fabric that gained popularity during the same time period was a cotton corduroy fabric that originated in Genoa, Italy and which was called jean, derived from its place of origin. At the time, denim was made of two different threads of cotton, one colored and one white, while jean used two threads of cotton of the same color. It seems that the two fabrics became synonymous during this period and became known by both names.
The fabric traveled to North America, and American textile factories were producing denim/jean in the late 1700s. The book, “The Weavers Draft Book and Clothiers Assistant,” published in 1792, contains technical sketches of the weaving methods for a variety of denims. The popularity of denim was secured in the success of the Levi Strauss Company, who patented the riveting process to produce denim work pants in 1873 and sold them to miners in San Francisco. The pants were known for their comfort, durability and ability to hold their shape. In “Staple Cotton Fabrics” by John Hoye, published in 1942, denim was described as, “The most important fabric of the work-clothing group . . . Denims are strong and serviceable; they are particularly strong in the warp direction, where the fabric is subjected to greater wear than the filling.”
The widespread appeal of denim, especially in pants, based on their comfortable shape and durability overshadows drawbacks of this material such as poor drying, lack of stretch, rough hand feel and poor thermal conductiveness. Denim enhancements have led to the combination of spandex to soften the fabric and give it stretch. Other yarns have also been added to improve the softness and hand feel of the fabric. However, little has been done to improve the wicking, drying and thermal conductivity of the fabric. Denim naturally absorbs moisture, but does not effectively remove it away from the skin. The fabric becomes “swampy”—moist and hot—when worn in warm environments or while active, holding on to the moisture and the heat generated by the person wearing the material.
Thus, despite advances in textile research, there remains an important need for yarns that can be utilized in denim that address the know shortcomings of this fabric, such as poor wicking, drying time, and thermal conductiveness, while maintaining the hand feel and function. These needs and other needs are satisfied by the present disclosure.